The present invention generally relates to means and methods of controlling and monitoring electrical systems and the circuits therein. More specifically, the present invention relates to monitoring an electrical system and the components and circuits therein, processing and analyzing the monitored data, and controlling operation of the electrical system in response to the analyzed data to improve operator safety and maintain system reliability.
The most basic of needs for a user of an electrical system is the need to turn the system (or circuit therein) on and off. Satisfying this need can be as simple as providing a manually operated switch or can be as complex as providing an automated control system with a feedback loop from a sensor-type device, for example. Often, more complex control systems include additional functions; one example is an interface that allows a user to establish operating profiles (e.g., on/off schedules), monitor various operating parameters (e.g., voltage), or otherwise. Another example of a basic need for a user of an electrical system is the need to operate the electrical system remotely (e.g., to minimize the cost associated with maintaining on-site staff).
While there are commercially available systems which allow a user to both monitor the operation of an electrical system remotely and facilitate on/off control, these systems do not address what is becoming an increasingly important need: the ability to recognize undesirable conditions and to make changes to the electrical system in real time to address those conditions before they become hazardous to persons or equipment or otherwise compromise the integrity of the electrical system. The art would benefit from a comprehensive approach to controlling and monitoring an electrical system; an approach that not only addresses the basic needs of operating the system but through improved controlling and monitoring means and methods ensures the electrical system is safer (e.g., by minimizing electrical shock hazards) and more reliable (e.g., by ensuring a defined operating condition is met) when compared to similar electrical systems in the current state of the art. Thus, there is room for improvement in the art.